Enclosures for multiple fluidic oscillators

Abstract

An improved fluidic device that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating spray of liquid droplets having desired properties (e.g., average spatial distribution, size, velocity, frequency and wavelength of liquid droplets at a defined distance in front of the device) includes: (a) a plurality of fluidic oscillators, each having a channel that is part of a fluidic circuit for inducing oscillations in the pressurized liquid that flows through the oscillator, (b) a housing having an exterior surface that includes a front face with a center-point and a rear face, (c) a plurality of passages, each of which extends through the housing and intersects with its front face to define an outlet, with each passages configured to allow for the insertion of one of the plurality of fluidic oscillators into each of the plurality of passages, and (d) a geometrical arrangement of these outlets in the housing front face that is chosen so as to achieve the desired properties of the oscillating spray when the device is operating at its specified flow rate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants' co-pending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 245,396, Attorney Docket No. BWLS29, filed Oct. 6, 2005, and titled “Enclosures For Fluidic Oscillators.”BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]This invention relates to fluid handling processes and apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to new methods and apparatus for enclosing fluidic oscillators or inserts so as to improve their performance.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Fluidic inserts or oscillators are well known for their ability to provide a wide range of distinctive liquid sprays by cyclically deflecting, without the use of mechanical moving parts, the flow of a liquid jet. The distinctiveness of these sprays is due to the fact that they are characterized by being oscillatory in nature, as compared to the relatively steady state flows that are emitted from standard spray or ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]There has been summarized above, rather broadly, the prior art that is related to the present invention in order that the context of the present invention may be better understood and appreciated. In this regard, it is instructive to also consider the objects and advantages of the present invention.

[0015]It is an object of the present invention to provide an assortment of individual housings or enclosures for fluidic oscillators that can be helpful in improving upon the actual spray performance of the spray devices or nozzle assemblies that utilize fluidic oscillators.

[0016]It is an object of the present invention to provide fluidic spray assemblies (i.e., fluidic oscillators with novel enclosures) that can provide specific types of desired sprays that have heretofore not been achievable with conventional fluidic technology. For example, to uniformly cover a relatively large surfa

Problems solved by technology

Despite much prior art relating to the development of fluidic circuits, the nature of the housings or enclosures that surround fluidic oscillators have not changed much over the years.

Images